Have you ever been alone on the subway? That’s what this game is about. Well, that’s what it’s about, but not at the same time. It all begins in a long, gloomy train car, just like the best murder stories. And that’s what Subway Midnight is all about.
Subway Midnight is a video game developed by Bubby Darkstar, a very special developer who comes to the fore with this story. Although Subway Midnight was released on PC over a year ago, we were able to test the recently released version on Nintendo Switch. A spooky horror adventure that sometimes takes us into the world of the darkest manga.
The story begins at midnight on a dark, gloomy and terrifying train. A young woman sits in the carriage waiting to reach her destination when a sinister figure stares at her. We must move to the end of the wagon without haste, but without pausing, so that it does not catch up with us. And so is born what will be the great mechanic that defines Subway Midnight: running toward the end of the wagon.
next wagon
During Subway Midnight’s roughly two-hour duration, eighty percent of the time is spent walking to the end of the car. Throughout our journey we will live through a nightmare of terror, in which only if we pay enough attention can we see a faint red thread. During one car after another we will see how some passengers died on this cursed train. The chalk silhouettes on the floor mark the beginning of the six stories that await and that we must unravel.
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Each of the murdered characters will show us their little world that shaped their lives and regrets. We have to go from one wagon to another as mere spectators, solving puzzles and riddles that unlock the next room. The further we progress in the adventure, the more complex and overwhelming the puzzles become until the last moment.
And this is where the second great mechanic is born: press “A” to pick things up off the ground. In some cases they are mandatory for the stay, in others they are simply there if we are smart enough. This little thread that connects the story of Subway Midnight is contained in some objects lying on the ground that only make sense at the end of the game.
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A claustrophobic tunnel
Buddy Darsktar’s game explores avenues of expression rarely found in video games, more so in a commercial one. The premise of the story is to experience the disasters suffered on this hellish train and that is transmitted to us through psychedelic screens and very well designed sounds. The tension of the story is interspersed with the extraordinary design of scenarios that drive us to fear and terror moments of shock. Although the truth is that it is observed how sometimes the lack of narration and true terror situations are replaced by simple scare and screen distortion resources. The garish colors and devilish settings will no doubt induce the sense of overwhelm and claustrophobia the developer is aiming for, although it’s up to the players to decide if they like it.
On the other hand, the puzzles are sometimes extremely easy and sometimes stupidly difficult, perhaps bordering on bad design. While these are never impossible situations, chances are the feeling is very frustrating. Not adding to the overall frustration are the controls, which while clearly intentional feel feel harsh and rigid. While it’s necessary to keep up the tension, in the end it’s annoying not being able to run faster in a game whose main mechanic is based on walking, especially in a second game.
three destination stations
The game’s artistic design is Subway Midnight’s most positive point, along with its hidden narrative. Buddy Darsktar has developed a sort of modern day Dante that surprises and impresses us from car to car. It’s an artistic and technical performance that doesn’t seem like it at first until you understand that its blend of gloom and innocence is entirely intentional. An artistic design that reminds us of Junji Ito’s manga mixed with a very satisfying pixel art developed in Unreal Engine.
The narrative, while complex and disjointed, makes sense at the end of the story, especially when we read the final letters at the end of the game. Subway Midnight is fully localized in Spanish, so while that’s not saying much, we’ll barely get a chance to read a dozen words in our entire adventure. But three of them will be: “The Bad Ending”, “The Good Ending” or “The Best Ending”. Yes, this train has three destination stations and our attention to detail and a minimal understanding of history will help us in the following attempts to unravel each one.
In short, an artistically and technically very demanding game, although undoubtedly an experience only for experienced visual novel lovers. While it borders on the stellar as a graphic or visual novel, we’re not captivated by gameplay that’s 90% summed up in forward motion.
In addition, as far as the technical part is concerned, the game seems to work smoothly on Nintendo Switch. However, with each step to a new wagon we find a loading screen. Something that happens very continuously depending on the stage of the game and can be gross.
An indie gem for days when we fancy a train ride.
